Bitcoin inspires new sports tournament – BitBall
Led by American football star who was first professional athlete to be paid in crypto in 2020
Move over football, rugby and NFL – we now have BitBall.
This special event will be the first of its kind, where all participating athletes will receive compensation exclusively in Bitcoin, highlighting the growing influence of crypto in sports.
It will take place in the UAE’s capital Abu Dhabi next month ahead of the Bitcoin MENA summit, where Eric Trump will be one of the headline speakers.
BitBall will be a flag football match (a less violent version of NFL or American Football) where Bitcoin will be awarded to players instead of cash “merging the worlds of sport, technology, and finance in a one-of-a-kind showcase”, according to organizers.
“We believe this event will captivate audiences and spark conversations on the future of Bitcoin in sports and beyond,” a spokesman said.
Some of the biggest names in American football will take part and receive their compensation in Bitcoin.
BitBall is being led by an eleven-year NFL veteran Russell Okung, a Super Bowl Champion and member of the Executive Committee of the NFL Players Association (NFLPA).
He was the first professional athlete to be paid in Bitcoin when he received half of his salary in the cryptocurrency in 2020. If he has held onto those 240 coins, today they would be worth around $20 million given its soaring price, given the increase of more than 200% in the timeframe.
In May 2021, amid a decline in Bitcoin’s value, Okung tweeted his commitment to the currency, stating on Twitter at the time, “Y’all don’t get it. I am not selling my Bitcoin, ever.”
“Money is more than currency; it’s power,” Okung told CNBC at the time. “The way money is handled from creation to dissemination is part of that power. Getting paid in Bitcoin is the first step of opting out of the corrupt, manipulated economy we all inhabit.”
Flag football is rapidly gaining global recognition as a safer and more easily scalable sports phenomenon and has been confirmed for the 2028 Summer Olympics.
Other football legends taking part include Antonio Brown, Le’Veon Bell, Johnson Bademosi, and Jurrell Casey.
NFL legend Tom Brady is another crypto advocate although he was also an ambassador for failed crypto exchange FTX.
